Press for cutting or punching sheet material



Dec. 19, 1929.

A. F. CARLSO N PRESS-FOR CUTTING OR PUNCHING SHEET MATERIAL Filed Nov.10, 1926 INVENTOH 1$ K 3 j M ll ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 10, 1929 tartan AXEL FOLKE CABLSON, OF CAMBRIDGE.MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO REEGE SHOE was? IEACHINEBXY COMPANY, FBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE PRESS" FOR CUTTING 0RPUNOI-IINC-r S EEEET MATERIAL Application filed November 10,1926. SerialNo. 147,470.

- This invention relates to presses forcutting or punching sheetmaterial, and the principl'es are herein shown applied illustratively toa type of press adapted especially for dieing out leather or similarmaterial to produce the constituent parts of various articles such asthe uppers of boots'and shoes.

. The invention is particularly adapted for, and herein shown appliedto, a press which, like that of Patent No; 1,228,834 of June 5, 1917-,embodies a heavy frame carrying a flatwise bed for supporting theleather and an overhanging presser or head adapted to descend uponaloose die placed selectively upon the material and thus force'the diethrough the material, and the overhanging presser being fitted so thatit may be swung laterally into and from position above the die, enablingclearinspection of the work between cutting operations, such machinesbeing generally known in the trade as clicking machines; f I

A general object ofthe invention is to improve the efiiciency andconvenience of operation of presses of the kind referred to; Aparticular object is to afford a clicking press wherein the lateralswinging of the presser and its downward actuation by power may bothbeeifected in an improved manner from the same control part or handle. Afurther object is to provide a controlling part or handle positionedupon the swinging presser itself and so connected with the poweractuating means or clutch as to preclude unintended repetition ofcutting strokes. Other and further objects and advantages of theinvention will be explained in the hereinafter follow description of anillustrative embodiment of the invention or will be apparent to thoseskilled in the subject.

To the attainment of the recited objects and advantages, the presentinvention consists in the novel press and the novel features ofoperation, combination, arrangement and detail herein illustrated ordescribed.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 may be considered-a left elevationof a clicking machine embodying the present invention, the operatorbeing supposed. to stand at the right side of the figure formanipulation of the leather, the die, theipres ser head andthe actuatingmechanism.

- Fig. 2 is a detail plan view taken partly in section on the line'2 2of l i ggml'. i 1 Above the' four legs is firmly secured the main frame11 which constitutesa support for the movable elements of the apparatus.Above the forward partof the frame is the bed or cutting block 12 whichmay consist of pieces ofwood suitably clamped. and

held as disclosed in said prior patent at the top of a solid support114: which maybe vertically adj us'table in. the frame; by a, wheel 13in order'to set the bed at the. correct height or distance frointhepresser, with respect to the height of the die to be used.

The swinging presser or head'15 is shown as arranged to overhang thebed, and-the presser has a handle 16 at its forward end, this handlebeing available and convenient for the bodilylateral swinging of thepresser to and from its position over the bed, and over the die 17 whichis shown resting upon a hide or piece of leather on the bed. The diemight in some cases be attached to the presser, but in the usualoperation of-the clicker the die is placed selectively on the leather,and the presser brought to position over the die and'then actuated todescend and return,'striking a quick abrupt .blow which drives'the diecleanly through the material.

The up and down movements of the presser head, in any swung position ofthe head, are

preferably effected by an up and down :sliding element18 in the form ofan upright ram or plunger, which, preferably .reciprocates down and upas in saidprior patent, but does not partake of the. rotary or swingingmove: ments of the presser, althoughthe ram could be arranged to rotateas well as to carry the presser down andup in each operation. The ram 18is arranged in the central rear portion of the machine, behind thecutting bed 12, and: is shown engaged by the presser through an uppercollar or rotary bearing 19 on the presser and surrounding the ram. Thepresser'and the, upper bearing 19 are preferably eXtendeol downwardly asat 20 and formed into a lower rotary bearing 21 also surrounding theram. The downward extension 20, the two bearings 19 and 21, and thepresser may constitute a single integral piece of metal or rigidlyconnected components. The upper end of the ram 18, within the presserhead, maybe enlarged so as to form a shoulder preventing relative upwardmovement of the presser, as in said prior patent.

The weight of the presser and connected parts may be sup orted through athrust bearing 23 below the rotary bearing 19 and resting upon a collar24 adjustably clamped to the ram.

The ram is shown mounted for its upand down movements by an upper fixedbearing .27 and alowerfixed bearing 28 constituting I rearwardextensions ofthe main frame 11.

The'ram moves upwardly and downwardly guided by these heavy rigidbearings, while the actuation of the machine is preferably through powermechanism comprising a clutch and having connection to the lower end ofthe sliding ram to bring about its downward and upward movements.

Referring to. the power connections these may start with a pulley' 30adapted to receive a constantly running belt and having sufficientweight to constitute also a fly wheel.

' Normally disconnected from the pulley is the main or actuating shaft31 arranged preferably in a central position and extending foreand-aftnearthe lower part of the press. The arrangement may befsubstantially asin said prior patent, involving an eccentric 32 on the shaft 31 andconnections for the reciprocation of the ram. A downward extension 34con stituting the lower end of the ram may be connected by an eccentricrod or strap 35 V with the eccentric 32. In this way a single shaft31may also be surrounded by a fric tion ring or clamp 42 designed toimpose continuous friction and resistance so that the shaft will comepromptly to stop when unclutched. Extending forwardly from the clutchdog is shown a pin 48 arranged to cooperate with a cam or shoe 49. Asshown in Fig. 1, the shoe is in its rearward position and has cammed thepin 48 away from operative position so as to separate the internalclutch. dog from'the cooperatingshoulders. As explained in the priorpatent it is only necessary to swing forwardly the cam shoe 49, thusdisengaging thepin 48 and permitting the engagement of the clutch, to beagain I disengaged at the end of a rotation as soon as the cam shoe isallowed to return to its normal position shown.

The downwardly hanging cam shoe 49 which controls the operation of theclutch may be adj ustably mounted on a swing member or arm 50 fulcrumedat 5.1 on a special bracket 52 standing rearwardly from the fixedbearing 28. The arm 50 has an upward extension 54 through whichthe brakecam or shoe may be operated as will be described; A spring 55 is socombined with the described parts asto tend to throw the brake shoe 49rearwardly into the position indicated, anda stop 56 determines thisposition.

The control of the operation from a handle at the forward end of theswinging presser may conveniently be efiected as follows. The handle 16is shown as having a sliding stem 58 extending into a boss 59 formed atthe upper side of the presser. The handle is formed with a groove 60which is engaged by. a fork 61 formed at the front end of an'opcratinglever 62" which is normally pulled l upwardly by a spring 63andisfulcrumed 'upon a stud 64"near the rear end of the presser. Therearward-extension of the extension of the operating lever carries atrip dog or finger 65 which is adjustable forwardly-and rearwardly by aholding device '66 for purposes to be described. The dog 65 is shownengaged in a hook or pawl 67 and operates to lift the pawl when thehandle 16 is thrown down. The pawl 67 has a spring 68 pressing itforwardly into engagement with the dog and the pawl is carried at theupper endof a rod 69 running in suitable recesses in the extensionportion 20 of the presser;

these parts allpartaking of the swinging movements of the presser, andbeing operative in all swung positions thereof. V

The sliding rod 69 at its lower end carries ai head' 70 adjustable onthe rod and formed with a hook 71 at its lower end, the head be.- ingguided in its up and down movements by a guide bracket 72 formed with avertical slot engaged by a bolt 73 extending 1 forwardly from the head 7O. As all of these parts swing with the movements of the presser thehook 71 is arranged to cooperate with the clutch trip arm 54 through anare shaped extension 75 thereof laid out with the axis of the ram 18 asa center. This arm shaped extension or head of the arm 54 is shown inplan View in Fig. 2 with the hook '71 engaging under the flange thereof.By this arrangement it follows that no matter where the presser maystand the book 71 will always be in operative relation with the head 75of the arm 54. By 3 this arrangement the. throwing down of the handle 16will cause the swinging of the arm 54 and the shifting forwardly of thecam shoe 49 so as to permit the clutch to engage and cause a downwardand upward movement of the presser.

V In order to prevent a repetition or second downward and upwardmovement of the 'fixed part Cooperating with said cam surface presserthere is shown a tripping roller 77 to throw the second latch part anddisengage above the pawl or hook 67, the latter being of the latch whensaid rod is moved by the consuch shape as to be cammed rearwardly andtrol lever.

caused to disengage from the dog or finger during the upward movement ofthese parts. The dog 65 should be adjusted and timed so that the dog andpawl will disengage immediately after the power clutch has been causedto engage. In this way the operative can not produce another operationof the press without letting up the handle 16 and deliberately throwingit down for a new operation.

The described mechanism therefore constitutes a convenient hand trippingdevice meeting the objects before stated. In operation, after the die 17has been located on the work, and the presser swung thereover by meansof the handle 16, the handle may be depressed to cause the poweractuation of the head. The operating lever 62 swings down I and its rearextension swings up so that the dog 65 lifts the pawl 67 and thereby therod 69, which in turn causes the swinging of the arm 54 and the forwardshifting of the clutch shoe 49. This releases and applies the clutch andimmediately afterwards causes the pawl 67 'to be cammed rearwardly,disconnecting the handle 16 from the clutch mechanism. The main shaftstarts its rotation while the rod 69 and connected parts move back tothe normal position shown. Therefore at the end of a single rotation theclutch is again ap- I plied and the machine stopped with the presserelevated. A new operation can not be effected without letting up thehandle 16 for enough to depress the dog 65 to initial position, where itreengages the pawl 67.

There has thus been described a press for cutting or punching sheetmaterial embodying the principles and attaining the objects andadvantages of the present invention. Since many matters of operation,combination, arrangement and detail may be variously modified withoutdeparting from the principles it is not intended to limit the inventionto such matters except so far as specified in the appended claim.

What is claimed is In aclicking press, a work support, a presserswingable laterally over the work support, a powerclutch, a clutch leverfor throwing the clutch into and out of operation and carrying aconcentric arc-piece, a connecting rod movable up and down and partakingof the swinging movements of the presser'and carrying a contact engagingsaid arc-piece, whereby the rod may throw thelever in any swungposition, a control lever movably mounted with handle at the free end ofthe presser; said control lever having a latch part, and said rod havinga latch'part at its top end engaging the first latch part, the secondlatch part having a cam surface, and a In testimony whereof, I haveafiixed my signature hereto.

. AXEL F. CARLSON.

